Mayor Briley Statement on the Arrest of Metro-Nashville Police Officer Andrew Delke

David Briley

Metro Nashville Press Release, 9/27/2018 - In August, I spoke with Daniel Hambrick's mother to express my condolences for her loss. I assured her that we would show respect for the life of her son, because his life mattered. At that time, Ms. Hambrick asked for justice for Daniel. The District Attorney's decision to file charges in this case is a necessary step toward that end. 

I don't control what happens in individual criminal cases, but I will continue to work toward creating a fair, open and transparent criminal justice system. This does not mean that every time an officer is charged with a crime or accused of misconduct, the officer will be found guilty. Metro-Nashville Police Officers put their lives on the line every day. It is an incredibly difficult job. I fully support our Police. However, officers will be required to account for their actions when they have been accused of misconduct. Put simply, we must have laws that are fairly, equally and transparently applied.

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Chief Steve Anderson's Statement on the Warrant Issued Against Officer Andrew Delke

Chief Steve Anderson

Metro Press Release - The following is a statement from Chief Steve Anderson concerning today’s decision by the District Attorney to obtain a criminal homicide warrant against Officer Andrew Delke:

“The July 26th death of Daniel Hambrick was a tragedy.  I have publicly expressed my condolences to his mother.  Certainly, no parent should have to grieve the loss of a son or daughter.           
The events of July 26th have also forever impacted Officer Andrew Delke and his family.  Our community and this police department have been lastingly affected as well.
         
It is not proper for me at this time to discuss the events of July 26th.  The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has deferred to the District Attorney and the TBI all aspects of this investigation.  Therefore, this department’s administrative investigation into the fatal shooting of Daniel Hambrick is open but on hold.  As we learn more, the administrative investigation will proceed.
Because of today’s action, Officer Delke, who has been working a desk job, has, by protocol, been decommissioned.

I have long had great respect for, and confidence in, the justice system in Davidson County and the State of Tennessee. That respect and confidence remains.  It has been my experience that as the justice process proceeds, all of the facts and circumstances concerning an investigation will become known.”                                             

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Do not rush to judegment in the Officer Delke shooting of Hambrick. Let impartial justice be served.

Police Officer Andrew Delke

By Rod Williams - If you have not kept up with the news of Police Officer Andrew Delke's shooting of Daniel Hambrick here is a summary from news reports.

On July 26th police officers from the department’s Juvenile Crimes Task Force were  on patrol in north Nashville looking for a stolen car. They spotted a car that matched the description of the car they were looking for. They initiated a traffic stop, the car fled and police did not give chase.  The officers continued patrolling hoping to spot it again.

They spotted the car in a parking lot of  the John Henry Hale Apartments. Three Black males were exiting the parked car at about the same time the police car entered the parking lot. Daniel Hambrick who is assumed to have been the driver of the car, fled on foot. Officer Delke gave chase. He says Hambrick was carrying a gun. Delke ordered Hambrick to stop. He did not. Delke fired three shots, hitting Hambrick in the back twice and in the back of the head once. Hambrick was either dead at the scene or died soon after. Hambrick is a Black 25 year old man. Police Officer Delke is 25 years old and is white. A gun assumed to be that carried by Hambrick was found at the scene. The video belows shows the actual shooting.

Since the shooting, officer Delke has been arrested and charged with homicide. District Attorney Gleen Funk brought the charges. One thing that surprised many observers is that Funk went to a General Sessions judge to get a warrant rather than sending the case to the Grand Jury to seek an indictment. Before a Grand Jury, evidence would not be  made public until the trial but before a General Sessions judge the evidence will be debated in open court before the public and the media.

People are drawing battle lines over this issue. Many in the Black and liberal activist community are praising Funk and saying that the shooting of Hambrick was murder and is symptomatic of police bias toward African Americans.  The local police union and some conservatives are saying Delke was following police rules and was justified in shooting Hambrick.

My view is that we should not rush to take a position. My initial sympathies are with Delke. The victim was carrying a weapon and refused an order to stop. Armed or not, if I was told to stop running by a policeman I would stop.  If the policy should become that police cannot shoot when an armed suspect is fleeing then suspects will know they can simply flee with impunity.

On the other hand, I could not shoot someone in the  back who was fleeing when he may not be guilty of any crime and may not be a threat to anyone else. I think the shooting in the back of a fleeing suspect would be more justified if the suspect had just committed a heinous crime. It the police arrived at a bank with an armed robbery in progress and the suspect with money in one hand and gun in the other was running down the street away from the officers, I think shooting the suspect would be justified. In that case, the criminal was willing to take a life to rob a bank and he is a danger to society. It is not that clear cut in this case. These are my thoughts on the topic however but they are uninformed by what is actual policy and law.

I have heard some people say the police officer should have shot him in the leg. Nonsense! If an armed person is shot in the leg, he could fall and return fire and kill the officer. Only in the movies is shooting the gun out of a person's hand or shooting in the leg a good strategy. Every shot an office takes should be shoot to kill.

I have sympathy for officers who shoot someone in the line of duty and then have charges brought against them.  We ask police to put their life on the line defending us everyday. On the other hand, carrying a badge and a gun does not make you "the law."  Being a police officer does not justify murder. One thing I do know know is what is the policy about giving chase when one flees the police. What is the policy about use of deadly force? Did Delke follow police procedure? I don't know and that will be something that will inform my opinion of the innocence or guilt of Officer Delke.

Based on what we know at this time, I think it may be proper to proceed with charges against the officer, although it seems like taking the case before a grand jury would have been more appropriate than getting an arrest warrant.

Although I have initial sympathy for the officer in this case, I am going to try to withhold judgement, observe the story, learn some facts about law and policy, and accept whatever the judicial outcome may be.

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For more on this story see the following: link, link, link,  link.

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Nashville Police Shooting: Officer Charged With Homicide

WTVF News  Channel 5- A judge has signed an affidavit saying there is probable cause in the shooting death of Daniel Hambrick. READ MORE

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Corker, Alexander Voice Support For Kavanaugh

WTVF - Sen. Bob Corker and Sen. Lamar Alexander both say they will vote to confirm President Donald Trump's embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. READ MORE

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Take a break and let me show you my garden.

One man's weed is another
persons flower. I cultivate poke
I like the cluster of white flower
the purple stalk and dark purple berry.

by Rod Williams, Sept. 18, 2018 - Fall arrives today and the weather is going to be turning cooler and the leaves turning and flowers with wither and die.  However, unless we have an early frost my Zinnia will be pretty for some weeks yet. They are past their prime but still pretty. I need to deadhead them everyday to prolong their beauty and if we have another dry spell I need to continue to water them.

I have two types of yellow sunflower-type flowers that will continue to show after the Zinnia have all died. They grow tall and are covered in blooms. One is already blooming and the other does not have its first bloom yet. They are very hardy and unless we have a real hard heavy frost they will bloom till thanksgiving.

I love going out and getting the newspaper every morning. I love to hear the trickling of the water in my worn old fountain which has aged gracefully. If there is the slightest breeze I hear the soft tinkling of the wind chime. When I reach the curb and look for the paper its not uncommon to see twenty butterflies flutter about. I do not know the names of them all but I have counted about eight or nine varieties  of  butterflies. There are the Monarch, the Black Swallowtail, and a Yellow Swallowtail, and a little lemon yellow one with a orange dot, which I think is called a Clouded Sulphur. In addition to the showy ones there are several other less showy smaller ones including one solid white one. There are also grasshoppers and bumblebees.

The garden and the moving water of the fountain also attacks birds.  I also keep a bird feeder full for the birds. The Golden Finch is too shy to come to the bird feeder but they love the Zinnia. If you watch closely you can see them pull petals off one by one and drop them. I guess they get to the nourishment at the base of the petal.

In addition to flowers I grow some herbs and vegetables but I have given up on growing tomatoes.  About the time a tomato is ready to start tuning red, I will find it on the ground with one bite taken out. After trying for several years, the squirrels won so I don't grow tomatoes.

Anytime I am feeling stressed or starting to get upset about something, spending time in the garden improves my attitude and lifts my spirits. Working in the yard, trimming hedges, pulling weeds and digging in the dirt I find very therapeutic. When I am pulling weeds I think about nothing but the task at hand. And, it feels good to get sweaty and dirty and muscle sore.

Sometime after thanksgiving the last of the sunflowers will die. Our winters are not long however. The first warm day in February my flowering quince will bloom but then those blooms will be killed by another frost. It never fails, but then it will bloom again when it warms back up. I look forward to that first flowering of the quince. Following the quince, will be the Daffodils, Primrose and Redbud and then I can start digging in the dirt again.

There are just not that many people who garden anymore. I wonder why. It seems like gardening used to be much more popular.  As I drive around, I see lots of landscaping but not much gardening. My mother gave me a deep appreciation for flower gardens and always had beautiful flowers in bloom.  I had to work in the vegetable garden with my dad and while I didn't like it, I found it rewarding to watch things grow.  If you have never tried gardening, you may like it. Start small by just growing a few Zinnia. They are easy to grow and showy.

Passion flower

Some of these pictures were taken this week and some about a month ago.

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"Ragged Old Flag"

Ever since Nike chose as the public face of their brand the leader of the movement to disrespect the flag, I have been thinking about the divide between those who approve of Nike's decision and those of us who don't. I don't think there is any common ground.  We might as well live in two different worlds. Our views are an ocean apart. For those who think it is cool to disrespect the flag and who care why we who don't think so feel the way we do, maybe this old song by Johnny Cash will help explain it.

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Volunteers needed for the Davidson County Republican Party

From DCRP:

As we are reorganizing, we are in need of volunteers for AND poll workers to ensure our election process is being followed correctly and to the law.  Please email us at DavidsonCountyGOP@gmail. com if you have availability to help us turn Davidson County RED!

Get involved and volunteer today and join the fight to turn
Our County, Our State, and Our Nation in the RIGHT direction.  

Visit:  www.GOPNASHVILLE.org

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Mark Green for Coungress Bourbon Tasting event

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Nashville Young Republicans Board Elections

Reposted from DCRP - The Nashville YR Board will hold elections on October 15, 2018, for the chair and secretary positions of the organization. Learn more about those positions on our website and if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the current chair, Rachel Miklaszewski.

On Thursday, October 4 at 6:00 p.m. the Nashville Young Republicans will be hosting a cocktail hour for dues-paying members and those interested in running for a board position. To attend, please RSVP no later than October 2.

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'No crisis,' Mayor Briley says of Nashville's finances,

Mayor Briley

'No crisis,' Mayor Briley says of Nashville's finances, affordable housing. Others push back

The Tennessean, ....Mayor David Briley told an influential group of business and political leaders last week there's "no crisis." ....

A rebuke on Briley's remarks on the fiscal situation — in which a shortfall in expected tax revenue made for only modest budget improvements even as Nashville's economy is booming — came from At-large Councilman Bob Mendes at Tuesday's council meeting.

Mendes took the floor to discuss an ordinance he's introduced to overhaul tax increment financing incentives that the city uses to spur downtown development. The bill, which seeks to protect tax revenue for public schools, advanced on a second of three readings.

He cited figures that place Nashville second in debt per capita among the nation's top 50 populated cities, trailing only New York and directly ahead of Chicago.

"We're out of whack," Mendes said, defending his push to "reset" TIF incentives that were originally adopted 35 years ago. "We're having problems with fundamental equity for employees in the city.

"There is a crisis in the city when it comes to its finances," he added, "even if the people downstairs don't want to use that word."

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Help Judd Cowan win District 50 State House. Help him raise $10K in 10 days.

Judd Cowan is a Republican running against Democrat Bo Mitchell in District 50. While Davidson County, along with Shelby County, are Democrat strongholds in Republican Tennessee, it is not a

Judd Cowan

fool's errand to run as a Republican in District 50. District 50 is just barely Democratic. It is winnable!

District 50 includes Bellevue, and goes north along the western edge of the County and takes in Joelton. It is one of the more middle-class suburban and rural parts of the county. This is the kind of seat a Republican can win. 

In 2016 challenger Nathan Massey got 48% of the vote to Michell's 52%. In 2014 Troy Brewer got 49% of the vote and in 2012 Republican candidate Charles Williamson came within 157 votes of beating Mitchell. We have an attractive candidate in Judd Cowan and he is working hard. We can flip this seat!

Here is his bio from his campaign website: 

My name is Judd Cowan, and I am proud to be a Nashville native and a product of Davidson County public schools. I attended high school at Hume Fogg. Upon graduating, I went to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where I earned my degree in mechanical engineering.

In order to pay for my education, I owned and operated a small business, gaining valuable experience as a small business owner in the process. I also founded a newspaper on campus and served as the editor-in-chief for three years. After graduating from college, I began practicing as an engineer in Nashville.

Currently, I am employed as a full-time machine designer and project manager at Industrial Design and Fabrication, where I oversee the production of manufacturing equipment. I also work part-time as an aerospace engineer at the Smyrna Airport for Resource Air Charter. I am a self-taught machinist, a hobbyist woodworker, and an amateur historian.

I grew up in a religious household and now attend St. Henry's Catholic Church. In high school, I earned recognition as an Eagle Scout and continue to be involved with the Boy Scouts.

To be competitive Judd needs money. He is attempting to raise $10K in 10 days and is only $3,257 away from achieving that goal. I just sent him a contribution, please join me in supporting his campaign. To contribute follow this link.

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Scottie Nell Hughes is now a registered foreign agent for Russia

Scottie Nell Hughes

Scottie Nell Huges has taken a job with the Russia Today news network (link). RT is a news organization funded by the Russian government. Everyone has to work somewhere but I find this despicable. I have watched maybe two or three episodes of RT over the years and do not recall it appearing to be overtly propagandist, however the fact that it is funded by the Russian government means it has Russian interest at heart.  I do not see how a patriotic American could work for a propaganda organ of Russia.

Russia may no longer be Communist, but they are authoritarian and aggressive toward their neighbors and attempted to subvert our 2016 election. Their leader would like to put the old Soviet Union back together. She is working for an enemy of the United States. As an employee of RT she has had to register as a "foreign agent" with the Department of Justice. Scottie Nell Huges should not be welcome in polite society.

Hughes began her career as an executive producer on the Steve Gill Show here in Nashville,and then she moved up the ladder and went on to produce various other talk shows. She also served as a columnist for Townhall and some other conservative publications. During the Trump campaign she was on the campaign trail as a Trump surrogate. She eventually landed a job at Fox News but after accusing Fox Business Network host Charles Payn of raping her, she was fired from Fox.

In 2015, she sought the position of Chair of the Tennessee Republican Party (link). As far as I know, I have never met her but she is well-known in Republican circles.

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